Are you starting a business in West Hartford, Connecticut? This article discusses the most important things to consider when opening a business in West Hartford.
What Business to Start
An important decision is what kind of business you want to start. To help you decide on a business type, we encourage you to read Business Ideas That Don't Make Sense.
For step-by-step instructions on starting a variety of business types, visit the Good Businesses to Start section of our site. For example, you might be interested in our Opening an Oak Furniture Business guide or our Opening a Gastroenterology Pediatrics Physicians & Surgeons Business guide.
Don't forget that your new business will be in West Hartford. Some businesses will do better in West Hartford than others. Make sure you fully understand West Hartford demographics before you lock in on your business idea.
West Hartford, Connecticut Demographic Information
West Hartford has an active business community that includes small businesses,
mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for West Hartford demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in West Hartford.
| Business Size | # of
Businesses |
| 1-4 Employees |
2461 |
| 5-9 Employees |
963 |
| 10-19 Employees |
645 |
| 20-49 Employees |
474 |
| 50-99 Employees |
156 |
| 100-249 Employees |
81 |
| 250-499 Employees |
18 |
| 500-999 Employees |
9 |
| 1000+ Employees |
3 |
| All West Hartford Businesses |
4810 |
As a new West Hartford entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in West Hartford for each business category. By looking at this chart, you can get
a general sense for how much competition there is in the business niche that
you are pursuing.
| Business Type |
# of
Businesses |
| Advertising Agencies |
3 |
| Architectural Services |
7 |
| Art Dealers |
1 |
| Automobile Driving Schools |
2 |
| Automotive Exhaust System Repair |
1 |
| Automotive Glass Replacement Shops |
3 |
| Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores |
8 |
|
Automotive Transmission Repair |
1 |
| Baked Goods Stores |
1 |
| Ball and Roller Bearing Manufacturing |
1 |
| Barber Shops |
3 |
| Beauty Salons |
34 |
| Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores |
9 |
| Book Publishers |
1 |
| Book Stores |
7 |
|
Broadwoven Fabric Mills |
1 |
| Building Inspection Services |
1 |
| Business and Secretarial Schools |
1 |
| Business Associations |
5 |
| Cable and Other Program Distribution |
2 |
| Cafeterias |
1 |
| Camera and Photographic Supplies Stores |
2 |
| Car Washes |
3 |
|
Caterers |
3 |
| Cemeteries and Crematories |
1 |
| Child and Youth Services |
2 |
| Child Day Care Services |
17 |
| Children's and Infants' Clothing Stores |
3 |
| Civic and Social Organizations |
7 |
| Claims Adjusting |
5 |
| Clothing Accessories Stores |
2 |
|
Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners |
2 |
| Collection Agencies |
2 |
| Commercial Lithographic Printing |
1 |
| Community Food Services |
1 |
| Computer and Software Stores |
2 |
| Computer Systems Design Services |
11 |
| Computer Training |
1 |
| Confectionery and Nut Stores |
2 |
|
Confectionery Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Consumer Lending |
1 |
| Continuing Care Retirement Communities |
1 |
| Convenience Stores |
4 |
| Convention and Trade Show Organizers |
3 |
| Couriers |
3 |
| Credit Unions |
3 |
| Custom Computer Programming Services |
9 |
|
Diagnostic Imaging Centers |
3 |
| Diet and Weight Reducing Centers |
1 |
| Direct Life Insurance Carriers |
8 |
| Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) |
1 |
| Drywall and Insulation Contractors |
3 |
| Educational Support Services |
1 |
| Electrical Contractors |
12 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools |
10 |
|
Employment Placement Agencies |
5 |
| Engineering Services |
7 |
| Exam Preparation and Tutoring |
2 |
| Exterminating and Pest Control Services |
3 |
| Facilities Support Services |
1 |
| Family Clothing Stores |
6 |
| Family Planning Centers |
1 |
| Fine Arts Schools |
3 |
|
Finish Carpentry Contractors |
3 |
| Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers |
9 |
| Floor Covering Stores |
4 |
| Flooring Contractors |
3 |
| Florists |
3 |
| Food (Health) Supplement Stores |
1 |
| Food Service Contractors |
19 |
| Freight Transportation Arrangement |
2 |
|
Fruit and Vegetable Markets |
2 |
| Full-Service Restaurants |
49 |
| Funeral Homes and Funeral Services |
3 |
| Furniture Stores |
7 |
| General Automotive Repair |
14 |
| General Freight Trucking, Local |
3 |
| General Rental Centers |
2 |
| Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores |
2 |
|
Glass and Glazing Contractors |
1 |
| Golf Courses and Country Clubs |
2 |
| Grantmaking Foundations |
9 |
| Graphic Design Services |
4 |
| Hand and Edge Tool Manufacturing |
3 |
| Hardware Merchant Wholesalers |
3 |
| Hardware Stores |
3 |
| Heating Oil Dealers |
5 |
|
Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores |
4 |
| Home Centers |
1 |
| Home Furnishing Merchant Wholesalers |
2 |
| Home Health Care Services |
7 |
| Home Health Equipment Rental |
1 |
| Homes for the Elderly |
5 |
| Household Appliance Stores |
2 |
| Human Rights Organizations |
1 |
|
Industrial Design Services |
1 |
| Industrial Launderers |
2 |
| Industrial Pattern Manufacturing |
1 |
| Insurance Agencies and Brokerages |
47 |
| Interior Design Services |
7 |
| Internet Publishing and Broadcasting |
2 |
| Internet Service Providers |
1 |
| Investment Advice |
9 |
|
Iron and Steel Mills |
1 |
| Janitorial Services |
14 |
| Jewelry (except Costume) Manufacturing |
1 |
| Jewelry Stores |
16 |
| Land Subdivision |
1 |
| Landscaping Services |
27 |
| Language Schools |
2 |
| Limited-Service Restaurants |
27 |
|
Limousine Service |
1 |
| Local Messengers and Local Delivery |
3 |
| Locksmiths |
1 |
| Machine Shops |
2 |
| Marketing Consulting Services |
1 |
| Masonry Contractors |
2 |
| Media Representatives |
1 |
| Men's Clothing Stores |
4 |
|
Metal Heat Treating |
3 |
| Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers |
6 |
| Motion Picture and Video Production |
2 |
| Motorcycle Dealers |
1 |
| Museums |
4 |
| Musical Groups and Artists |
2 |
| Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores |
3 |
| Nail Salons |
6 |
|
New Car Dealers |
1 |
| New Housing Operative Builders |
1 |
| Newspaper Publishers |
1 |
| Nonresidential Property Managers |
7 |
| Nursing Care Facilities |
6 |
| Office Administrative Services |
1 |
| Office Equipment Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Office Supplies and Stationery Stores |
3 |
|
Offices of Certified Public Accountants |
24 |
| Offices of Chiropractors |
5 |
| Offices of Dentists |
51 |
| Offices of Lawyers |
69 |
| Offices of Optometrists |
3 |
| Offices of Other Holding Companies |
4 |
| Offices of Podiatrists |
3 |
| Offices of Real Estate Appraisers |
1 |
|
One-Hour Photofinishing |
3 |
| Optical Goods Stores |
5 |
| Outdoor Power Equipment Stores |
1 |
| Packing and Crating |
1 |
| Paint and Coating Manufacturing |
1 |
| Paint and Wallpaper Stores |
4 |
| Painting and Wall Covering Contractors |
10 |
| Parking Lots and Garages |
2 |
|
Periodical Publishers |
3 |
| Pet and Pet Supplies Stores |
2 |
| Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services |
3 |
| Pharmacies and Drug Stores |
13 |
| Photography Studios, Portrait |
2 |
| Political Organizations |
3 |
| Portfolio Management |
7 |
| Prepress Services |
1 |
|
Private Mail Centers |
1 |
| Professional Employer Organizations |
2 |
| Professional Organizations |
3 |
| Public Relations Agencies |
2 |
| Quick Printing |
4 |
| Real Estate Credit |
7 |
| Remediation Services |
1 |
| Residential Property Managers |
6 |
|
Residential Remodelers |
13 |
| Retail Bakeries |
3 |
| Reupholstery and Furniture Repair |
1 |
| Roofing Contractors |
4 |
| Sales Financing |
2 |
| Savings Institutions |
13 |
| School and Employee Bus Transportation |
2 |
| Securities Brokerage |
11 |
|
Shoe Stores |
4 |
| Small Arms Manufacturing |
2 |
| Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars |
15 |
| Software Publishers |
1 |
| Special Needs Transportation |
1 |
| Sporting Goods Stores |
4 |
| Sports and Recreation Instruction |
2 |
| Tax Preparation Services |
4 |
|
Telemarketing Bureaus |
1 |
| Television Broadcasting |
2 |
| Temporary Help Services |
12 |
| Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters |
1 |
| Tile and Terrazzo Contractors |
1 |
| Tire Dealers |
2 |
| Title Abstract and Settlement Offices |
1 |
| Travel Agencies |
10 |
|
Used Car Dealers |
1 |
| Used Household and Office Goods Moving |
1 |
| Used Merchandise Stores |
2 |
| Veterinary Services |
5 |
| Video Tape and Disc Rental |
3 |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Services |
1 |
| Voluntary Health Organizations |
5 |
| Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters |
1 |
|
Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers |
9 |
| Window Treatment Stores |
1 |
| Wired Telecommunications Carriers |
3 |
| Women's Clothing Stores |
16 |
Have You Considered Buying an Existing West Hartford Business?
If you have some capital to play with, you may want to Buy a Business in Connecticut. Follow that link and you might discover several good businesses for sale in West Hartford.
If you are serious about buying a business, you may want to read this article: Buying a Business.
Selecting a Name For Your Venture
A good company name can give a big boost to a new startup. It might seem like an easy thing to do, but there are many things to consider when naming a business.
Company names should be fun to say, and they should help people to understand what you do and how you differentiate yourself in the market.
Numerous company naming issues are discussed in more detail in this article: Branding Advice.
As a final piece of advice, remember that because you are starting a business in West Hartford, it's critical that you ensure that you will be the only Connecticut company using the business name you have chosen.
Company Formation in West Hartford, Connecticut
It's essential that your business is formed as a legal entity that is separate from its owners. Among other things, forming a legal entity for the business limits your liabilities.
The entity you form can be a traditional C-corporation, a Limited Liability Company (LLC), or an S-corporation.
Incorporating is a very common way to legally create a business entity. Of course, you have to decide which type of corporation to form and where to incorporate. Just because you are starting a business in Connecticut, it doesn't mean you are required to incorporate in Connecticut. In fact, you can incorporate wherever you want. However, if you do incorporate in another state, you'll have to register as a foreign corporation in your home state.
There's a lot to know about forming a company. We recommend you read some of the educational articles about company formation that are availabe on our site, such as Offshore Company Formation. You should also consider getting professional assistance from your business lawyer. Finally, if you are starting a business in West Hartford, Connecticut, our information on Incorporating in Connecticut may be a useful resource if you decide to incorporate in Connecticut.
Don't Skip the Business Plan
Creating a business plan is critical in laying a solid foundation for your business success. Indeed, a business plan describes what you plan to do with the business and how you plan to do it. Not having a business plan
Before you start writing a business plan, we suggest you skim Find Sample Business Plans Online. You should also take advantage of face-to-face free consulting available from your local SCORE chapter in Connecticut.
Never Give Up
As an entrepreneur in West Hartford, you won't be working for the boss anymore. You are the boss.
If you choose the right business and love what you do, you will greatly increase your odds of success.
This site is all about helping entrepreneurs in West Hartford and elsewhere to achieve real success. We believe entrepreneurship is an amazing engine for job creation in West Hartford, neighborhood development and overall economic health.
More Entrepreneurial Resources for Starting a Business in West Hartford, Connecticut
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in West Hartford.
- Resources for West Hartford, Connecticut Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist West Hartford entrepreneurs.
- Connecticut Entrepreneurial Resources - We've gathered state-level entrepreneurial resources to help new entrepreneurs who are based in Connecticut.
- Connecticut Small Business Development Center - Central Connecticut State University's Institute of Technology and Business Development (ITBD) supports Connecticut businesses and business-related organizations with training, technology assistance, conferencing services, procurement services and business incubation.
- West Hartford, Connecticut Newspaper Ad Rates - This is a nearly comprehensive list of advertising rates for West Hartford, Connecticut newspapers, including ad costs for newspapers serving the West Hartford area.
- West Hartford, Connecticut Radio Advertising Prices - To help you in your marketing efforts, we've gathered radio advertising rates for West Hartford, Connecticut area radio stations.
- West Hartford, Connecticut Payroll Services - This list includes West Hartford, Connecticut payroll services, national payroll services for West Hartford, and helpful information on choosing a West Hartford payroll service.
- West Hartford, Connecticut Businesses for Sale - This list includes resources for buying a business in West Hartford, Connecticut, such as business brokers in West Hartford and other helpful information on how to buy a West Hartford business.
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